Item - 2013.AU13.11

City Council on November 13, 14, 15 and 18, 2013, adopted the following:

1.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Service, to update and finalize the multi-year Fire Master Plan in a timely manner, ensuring the plan addresses firefighter training and recruitment issues.  The plan be flexible to accommodate Toronto Fire Services’ service priorities and changing workforce.

2.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that all of the issues identified in the report (September 16, 2013) from the Auditor General are incorporated into the updated Fire Master Plan where applicable.

3.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to take the necessary steps to evaluate the goals and activities of the Professional Development and Training Division.  Such steps should include but not be limited to:

a.         developing and using relevant and consistent key performance indicators that are aligned with the strategic goals of the Fire Master Plan;

            b.         determining the reporting requirements of training goals and activities, such as content, frequency, and recipients; and

c.         ensuring necessary tools and information for measuring, monitoring and reporting activities consistently are available.

4.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that diversity efforts are aligned with service priorities, and specific goals and action plans be incorporated into the Fire Master Plan.

5.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to evaluate Toronto Fire Services’ diversity initiatives to determine whether these programs are successful in meeting Toronto Fire Services’ diversity goals and are cost-effective.  Additionally, the Centennial College partnership agreement be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure compliance with all terms and conditions of the agreement, including insurance policy requirements.

6.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to review the recruit training program for operational efficiencies that can yield opportunity cost savings, while, at the same time, meet  Divisional diversity goals.  The review should include, but not be limited to:

a.         ensuring recruits are placed in the training program reflecting their qualifications; and

b.         evaluating the feasibility of eliminating the general stream by adding the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training Program Certificate as a minimum recruitment requirement.

7.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure mandatory training courses are conducted for the full amount of time as prescribed in the Collective Agreement.  Such time requirements and expectations be communicated to all staff, including all training staff and firefighters.

8.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to review all mandatory training course lesson plans and daily agendas to ensure training-related activities and time requirements are accurately reflected and updated accordingly.

9.         City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, together with Professional Development and Training and Operations Division Chiefs, to conduct a review into the underlying reasons for the lack of instructor availability, and evaluate ways to address those reasons.

10.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that corrective action be taken, and documented, for cancelled in-service training when determined to be required.  Additionally, the commitment to minimizing in-service training cancellations be communicated to all staff.

11.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that trainer-facilitators are certified by the Ontario Fire College, proper records are maintained, and documentation is submitted to the Ontario Fire College when required.

12.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that all shift training instructors are qualified and trained for the delivery of programs in accordance with internal standard operating guidelines and the Collective Agreement.  Further, management take further steps to identify and formalize specialty training requirements.  In addition, all qualification records be standardized and adequately maintained.

13.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that:

a.         lesson plans align with the course syllabus;

b.         lesson plans exist for every course in the program; and

c.         lesson plans are updated on a regular basis.

14.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to reassess the overall necessity of Ontario Fire Marshall exams.  If exams are determined to be required, to take the necessary steps to ensure exam eligibility requirements are met.  Such steps should include, but not be limited to:

a.         ensuring each recruit is evaluated on final performance tests by a certified trainer-facilitator;

b.         ensuring required supporting documentation is completed, signed off, and maintained on file; and

c.         giving consideration to obtaining and reviewing exam results to identify opportunities for training program improvement.

15.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure mandatory online training is completed on a timely basis.  When firefighters fail to complete mandatory online training requirements, appropriate corrective action be taken.  Any such corrective actions be incorporated into the standard operating guideline, and reiterated in staff communications.

16.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, in consultation with appropriate Professional Development and Training Division and Operations Division staff, to review the progress reporting process, and determine the appropriate types, frequency and content of reports needed to ensure mandatory online training requirements are met.  Further, the standard operating guideline be updated accordingly.

17.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure regular progress reports coincide with training due dates and be provided to appropriate staff on a timely basis.  Progress reports be stored and accessible to appropriate staff.

18.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure requirements for the Toronto Fire Services’ Annual Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Certification Program are complied with on a timely basis, and corrective action be taken where instances of non-compliance are identified.

19.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to formalize and retain all individual firefighter annual Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus certification records to ensure that successful completion of the annual certification program is verifiable.

20.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to review the Toronto Fire Services’ Annual Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Certification Program to ensure all standards and requirements are incorporated.  Any changes to the program be communicated to and understood by all staff.  The program as outlined in the standard operating guideline be updated accordingly.

21.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to develop and implement a process to ensure opportunities for course feedback are made available to course participants, and the feedback reviewed by management.  The Division Chief, Professional Development and Training, or designate, to review all feedback and to ensure suggestions are considered and where appropriate incorporated into future training courses.

22.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to undertake a detailed review of National Fire Protection Agency’s standard on Recommended Practices for Fire Service Training Reports and Records to ensure Toronto Fire Services’ standard operating guidelines are aligned with recommended practices, where appropriate, and standard operating guidelines are updated accordingly.

23.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to consult the City’s Human Resources Division, the Ontario Fire Marshal, and other municipal fire services and consider whether Toronto Fire Services can benefit from evaluation methodologies being used elsewhere.

24.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, in consultation with appropriate Professional Development and Training staff, to review and update all standard operating guidelines that relate to training processes and procedures, and ensure that current practices and requirements are accurately and appropriately documented.  Any updated guidelines be communicated to all staff in a timely manner.

25.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to develop and implement a records management policy.  The policy should include, but not be limited to:

a.         ensuring standard operating guidelines dealing with records management practices and procedures are consistent and align with City policies; and

b.         ensuring standard operating guidelines are complied with, such as obtaining and maintaining all required documentation on file.

26.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to develop and implement a quality assurance process to verify the completeness, accuracy, and consistency of training records and ensure internal guidelines are followed.

27.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure automatic external defibrillator certification documents are maintained appropriately, and filed in an orderly and timely manner, and the electronic record be updated at the same time.

28.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that external training requests are approved before enrolment.

29.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure that shift training instructors submit payment requests on a timely basis.  Further steps be taken to ensure that payments are accurately processed and supporting documentation is properly maintained.

30.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to define the information and reporting needs of the Professional Development and Training Division and, in consultation with Information and Technology Division, assess the merits and feasibility of implementing system enhancements to improve functionality in order to meet those needs.

31.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to ensure controls are implemented that provide for timely, complete, and accurate data entry.  Further, controls should include a data entry verification process.

32.       City Council request the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, to consider the use of integrated technology devices, such as barcode scanners, to improve the timeliness, completeness, and accuracy of training attendance records.